What People Never Tell You About Traveling To Hollywood- Your Unofficial Guide To The Real Hollywoodland

Are you planning a trip to Hollywood? Looking for some free tips and tricks to family fun in Hollywood? I just recently made the trip and I want to provide you with the tips that no one will ever provide you with, the real cold hard facts.

Hollywood Boulevard Is Filled With Homeless People

Matthew Straubmuller/flickr

One thing you never see about Hollywood is the fact that from block to block it’s filled with homeless people. These people will beg for money, argue with street lamps, and sleep in the grass right in front of you. They have no shame. Blocks surrounding Hollywood Blvd, including Sunset Blvd, you’ll spot hundreds of homeless men and women. Be careful.

Certain Parts Of The Strip Smell Like Pure Urine

nathey4/flickr

For a place that’s suppose to represent the stars of Hollywood and the world, it sure smells a lot like human urine. I don’t want to blame any certain group for this… cough cough the homeless….. but certain parts are smelly on Hollywood Blvd. Be careful where you step if its wet.

Don’t Take Pictures With People In Costume Unless You’re Ready To Pay

Average Jane/flickr

I know what your’e thinking… You spot someone dressed up as your favorite movie character. You’re thinking “This would make the perfect picture!”. You run over to them, take the photo, then realize they start shouting swear words at you… They want you to pay up! Nothing is free in this world, these people will try to steal every cent you got to take a picture with a bad looking Darth Vader. Don’t try to argue either, they will scream and complain at you. They claim that they are “Working Hard”. They should try getting a real job.

Get Ready To Spend Big Bucks

Pop Culture Geek/flickr

If you’re thinking you want to buy a nice special gift for someone back home, get ready to pay top dollars. A lot of simple things like coffee mugs start off at 10 bucks and up. Also, any of the tours or museums you’d like to go in, the cost is high to get in. Get ready to drop some major dollars for anything in the main strip of Hollywood Blvd. My advice, shop off the strip and save a ton of money.

People Will Ask You To Take A Tour On Every Single Block

bfurlong/flickr

There will be a TONNNNNN of people throwing Hollywood tour signs in your face. They want to pitch you their great deal that no other guy has…. except the 17 other companies down the block. They will work hard, follow you around, and throw these right in your face. I’m telling you, they will be located on every single block.

Rappers Will Try To Give You Their Crappy CD’s And Get Angry When You Don’t Pay

Nicolás Sanguinetti/flickr

Apparently Hollywood isn’t just for movie stars looking for their big break, it’s for rappers. You’ll find tons of rappers trying to hand out their crappy fake cds. Don’t fall into this trap. They will expect you to give them cash, because once again, they are “Working hard”. They even perform on the street for you! One rapper decided to rip the CD out of my girlfriends hands when we wouldn’t pay. Little did he know that I work for a media company, and if it was half way decent I could have passed it up the chain.

What Are Some Of The Good Things About Hollywood?

I talked a lot about the bad, but what about the good?

1) Seeing The Hollywood sign is amazing. You can drive right up Hollywood hills, park your car, and hike up to a great viewing location. That part is amazing, that part is something you don’t see every day.

2) Seeing the stars on the Blvd is very cool. You get to walk on the sidewalks that are covered with former actors, singers, movie stars, and other powerful people. Their stars are covered on every sidewalk.

Dave Wheeler/TSM

3) Going on vacation. Yes it was a pain at times walking down the Blvd, but it also was a lot of fun. Vacation was amazing, and no trip to LA isn’t complete without a trip to the Hollywood Blvd.

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